I live by the beach and we don't have any sheltered parking, my car is in the weather constantly. My last car lasted about 1 year before any visible signs of rust then I fixed the rust and sold it because I knew it would get worse. Sometimes you can see a thin layer of salt on dust on the cars from the mist after it dries out.

My latest car I have washed 2-3 times a week and just hosed it off with water every other day in the month or so that I have had it but I can already see tiny little orange rust dots on the bonnet/hood that wasn't there when I bought it.

Does anyone have any tips for protecting it, and perhaps can recommend some products?

Are you using a good coating of wax on the paint? I don't live near the ocean but we have a lot of salt used on the roads in the winter that gets sprayed up. Something like Turtle Wax is durable and inexpensive way to help protect the paint.

Salt mist is VERY corrosive,and like the poster says, it can cause rust very quickly. I have a friend who owns a house at the shore and spends many months of the year there. He deals with it by 1). Waxing every month or so; and 2) putting a cover over the car when it is not in use.

I'd probably try to slather as much underhood and under body with a fluid film type lanolin product. You need a barrier to keep the salty moisture away altogether.

Boeshield t-9 also would be good. For this, a waxy protection is beneficial IMO.

+1 Keeping a good coat of wax on the body, and Fluid Film for inside the doors, rocker panels, and underside would also be good. I'd touch it up every 6 months and consider re-coating it once a year depending on what visual inspections reveal.

Currently I don't use any wax at all, I would like to start using something though.

I might try Turtle Wax as suggested, perhaps after a polish.

@ demarpaint, I looked up Fluid Film and only about 5 places sell it in the whole of Australia, none of them are close or even in the same state. Is there something else more common that could be used in place, for example Mr Sheen (silicone spray) or something like that?

I have scrubbed under the car twice with soapy water and a brush but I'm not sure what product I could use under there to prevent rust.

If anyone has more tips I am very interested in hearing them, I don't want this one to end up full of rust as well.

What kind of paint does this car have? I see you're in Aus. 99% of US cars have a primer/basecoat/clearcoat that IMO is decently tough against this sort of thing. It almost sounds like your body panels aren't zinc-galvanized and the salt is "soaking right through" a thin, non-protective paint.

@ demarpaint, I looked up Fluid Film and only about 5 places sell it in the whole of Australia, none of them are close or even in the same state. Is there something else more common that could be used in place, for example Mr Sheen (silicone spray) or something like that?

I have scrubbed under the car twice with soapy water and a brush but I'm not sure what product I could use under there to prevent rust.

If anyone has more tips I am very interested in hearing them, I don't want this one to end up full of rust as well.

These are not the same products but both work very well, LPS3, or Amsoil HD Metal Protector. Are they available to you? You can also use bar oil, or waste oil, both are messy but work, the only problem is they aren't that friendly to rubber parts so you'd have to be careful when you get near anything that's rubber.

What kind of paint does this car have? I see you're in Aus. 99% of US cars have a primer/basecoat/clearcoat that IMO is decently tough against this sort of thing. It almost sounds like your body panels aren't zinc-galvanized and the salt is "soaking right through" a thin, non-protective paint.

The paint is white, no clear coat. It appears to have not to have a undercoat unless the undercoat is white as well.

These are not the same products but both work very well, LPS3, or Amsoil HD Metal Protector. Are they available to you? You can also use bar oil, or waste oil, both are messy but work, the only problem is they aren't that friendly to rubber parts so you'd have to be careful when you get near anything that's rubber.

I found 1 place that imports Amsoil HD Metal Protector, its $17 and you have to ask for a quote on postage (usually $10-15 more).

Do you think the following will be any good for under the car? There is a store that sells them about 30 mins from here.

After all paint is pristine use a serious sealant....Duragloss #105 comes to mind or Collinite #845 (a hybrid sealant/wax). Turtle Wax? You might as well use spit on it mate. It won't last two weeks in that environment.

DEFINITELY wax the car after you get any spots out with a good overall polishing...4x a year is good...

...the base/primer is likely white.

2x a year I visit my cousins who live ON the ocean's edge and kitacam gets waxed when I visit to make sure all salt AND SAND will wash/slide off with as little abrasion as possible....It gets waxed a couple of times between visits as southFlorida sun is HOT and powershowers take their toll.

When is it time to wax?...when those small evenly sized island-drops of water on the hood/roof start to get the size of irregularly shaped continents after a rainshower.